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For current information on this topic, see 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Season.

National Hot Rod Association NHRA
Sport	Drag racing
Area of jurisdiction	North America
Formation date	1951
Headquarters	Glendora, CA
President	Tom Compton
Chairman	Dallas Gardner
Official website
www.nhra.com/

The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) is a drag racing governing body, which sets rules in drag racing and host events all over the United States and Canada. With over 80,000 drivers in its rosters, the NHRA is considered one of the largest motorsports sanctioning bodies in the world.

The association was founded by Wally Parks in 1951 in the State of California to provide a governing body to organize and promote the sport of drag racing. The first nationwide NHRA sponsored event was held in 1955, in Great Bend, Kansas. (Typical for the era, this race was held on a World War II-constructed training air field.) The "Nationals", which now comprise 24 events each year, are the premier events in drag racing that bring together the best cars and drivers from across North America. The U.S. Nationals are now held at O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis in Clermont, Indiana and are officially called the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals. Winners of national events are awarded a trophy statue in honor of founder Wally Parks. The trophy is commonly referred to by its nickname, a “Wally”.

The NHRA governs several developmental series. These include the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, the Summit Racing Series, and the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League.

Full Throttle Drag Racing Series

The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series is made up of 23 races from February to November and it is second only to NASCAR in terms of most popular forms of racing in America by several objective criteria (ESPN/TNS Sport Fan Poll, Cable TV Ratings, Internet traffic). Winston was the title sponsor of the series from 1970 until 2001, before a new governing rule stated the Master Settlement Agreement restricted R. J. Reynolds to one sponsorship of a sporting event; they chose NASCAR. In 2002, The Coca-Cola Company took over sponsorship of the series, which became known as the NHRA Powerade Drag Racing Series and has the slogan "Very Real Power."

The series has four main professional classes: Top Fuel Dragster, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle. Top Fuel was the first category, with Funny Cars added in 1966, Pro Stock four years later and Pro Stock Motorcycles in 1987. Both Top Fuel and Funny Cars regularly see top speeds in excess of 300 mph today, and quarter-mile times anywhere from 4.42 to 5 seconds. Both these cars burn fuel consisting of 90% nitromethane and 10% methanol. The Pro Stock record is 211 mph with times often in the 6.5-6.7 second range and the Pro Stock Motorcycles usually run at 190+ mph with times in the low 7- to high 6-second range. Top Fuel (class designation: TF/D top fuel dragster) and Fuel Funny Car (class designation: TF/C top fuel coupe) have recently been limited to a 1,000 foot track, instead of the historic 1/4 mile (1,320 feet), as a means to limit top speeds and increase safety (there had been a number of engine explosions at or near 300 mph resulting in driver injuries and death). Currently, driver and spectator safety has been enhanced even while top speeds often approach and exceed 300 mph.

Some of the popular racers to come through the series include "Big Daddy" Don Garlits, Don "The Snake" Prudhomme, and Shirley Muldowney. Those three gained much attention from the 1960s through '70s with their speed and personalities, a combination rarely achieved today through the political correctness of sponsorship in today's drivers. Nonetheless there are still colorful characters today, such as 14-time Funny Car world champion John Force and his daughter, 2007 Rookie of the Year Ashley Force Hood, who has made appearances on Good Morning America and The Tonight Show and was voted AOL's Hottest Female Athlete in 2007.^[1]

On April 24, 2008, the NHRA and Coca-Cola announced a change in branding for the series effective 2009, with the professional classes referred NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, with the new slogan "Go Full Throttle or Go Home." In concert with the re-branding of the series, Coca-Cola extended their deal with NHRA by two years, from 2011 to 2013.

All NHRA Full Throttle Series races are broadcast in high definition in the U.S. on ESPN2. Currently, veteran broadcaster Paul Page anchors the coverage alongside former racer Mike Dunn. Pit and trackside reporters include Gary Gerould, Dave Rieff and John Kernan, some former commentators include Steve Evans, Brock Yates, Bob Frey, and Dave McClelland.

On July 2, 2008, following the death of Funny Car driver Scott Kalitta, the NHRA announced that race distances for Top Fuel and Funny Car classes would temporarily be reduced to 1000 ft from the usual 1/4 mile (1320 ft).^[2] The measure was intended to be temporary while safety solutions were explored; however, the races have remained at 1,000 feet throughout the 2009 racing season, with no indication by NHRA officials of any intent of returning to the full quarter-mile format in 2010. An ancillary benefit to Top Fuel and Funny Car teams has been a cost reduction for maintenance of cars between runs, as the engines do not run under full power as long, and thus do not require as extensive a rebuild as the quarter-mile run necessitated. However, as crews learned to compensate for the shorter runs with changes in engine and clutch setups, and speeds once again approach those seen in full quarter-mile passes, those savings have been largely negated.^{[citation needed]}

Points structure

The Countdown

Starting with the 2007 season, the NHRA implemented a "regular season" and "playoff" system to determine the champion in each class, billed as the "Countdown to 1". Each season is divided into two segments of races, with the bulk of the races making up the first segment, and the final events making up the second segment. After the first segment is complete, the drivers in each class at or above the cutoff point in the standings (8th place up to 2007 and 10th place thereafter) become eligible for the championship, while the drivers below the cutoff point are eliminated from championship contention, though they still participate in the remaining race events. The points for the advancing drivers are readjusted so that they are separated by a fixed margin, with first place receiving bonus points. The drivers then compete for the championship over the final races of the season.^[3]

2010 Schedule

With the closure of the Memphis Motorsports Park as of October 30, 2009,^[4] the Full Throttle Series is now slated for 23 events:^[5]

"PSM" indicates Pro Stock Motorcycle will run at this event

Safety

The NHRA mandates several different safety devices in the cars run in sanctioned events. First is the five point safety harness that all vehicles must have, which holds the driver secure in the seat, and is equipped with a quick release latch which can be released in less than a second should the driver need to leave the car due to fire or explosions.

Second are the fire suits, or "Simpson Suits", that all drivers must wear. These suits are full body coveralls and made with seven layers of Nomex fabric, which makes them resistant to fire. The term Simpson Suit refers to the main manufacturer of the suit, Simpson Performance Products. The predecessor to the Simpson Suit actually came to the NHRA from NASCAR in the mid 1960's after the death of NASCAR legend Edward Glenn "Fireball" Roberts, who burned to death in a fiery car crash.

Another NASCAR transplant, which was brought into use after the death of Roberts, was the fuel cell. This bladder is placed into the fuel tanks of all non-nitromethane fueled vehicles to prevent fuel leaks, and explosions.

Third is the use of the HANS device, a requirement for any driver in any category. This device limits the movement of the head and neck in the event of an impact and has been a mandatory device within the NHRA since 2004. The device was an option that started in 1996 after Top Fuel driver Blaine Johnson was killed during qualifying at the MAC Tools U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Since the death of 2003 Rookie of the Year Darrell Russell at the Craftsman Nationals, the device has been a mandatory part of the safety gear that must be worn at all times.

Fourth is the titanium shield that must be placed behind the head of all Top Fuel drivers. This is to prevent any debris from entering the cockpit and becoming a missile hazard to the driver. Only the Top Fuel division has this as a mandatory device, since only Top Fuel cars have the engines mounted behind the driver. However, several team owners in the Funny Car division have adopted it as well.^{[citation needed]}

Fifth is the on board fire extinguishing system that all cars must be equipped with. These systems are directed onto the engine itself and are activated instantly when the engine catches fire, reducing the chance for the car to completely catch fire and endanger the driver. The driver also has a manual activation control available. This has been in place on all cars since 1983, when an engine explosion and fire came very close to killing then-Funny Car driver Mike Dunn.

Sixth is the roof escape hatch that is in place on all Funny Cars since the founding of the division in the early 1970s. This device allows Funny Car drivers a safe means of exit during an engine fire rather than falling out of the car between the frame and fiberglass body, and possibly running the risk of being run over by the rear tires.

Seventh are the long bars at the end of all cars, also known as "wheelie bars". These long struts prevent the car from flipping over during the launch phase. Prior to the 2006 season, the only division that did not use wheelie bars was the Top Fuel Division, but the constant threat of blowovers caused the NHRA to make wheelie bars mandatory on Top Fuel cars as well.

The rear tires of the car, which are called slicks due to the fact that there is no tread on them, are specified with safety considerations in mind. These tires are made from a much harder compound than in previous years so that the tire is resistant to disintegration. This also came about after the death of Russell. The tires are not allowed to be inflated under 7 pounds per square inch (48 kPa) for any race at any time.

A safety requirement peculiar to the Funny Car class is the fireproof engine blanket which surrounds the engine block and contains debris in case of an engine explosion.

In the wake of Eric Medlen's 2007 death, the roll bars in a Funny Car must be padded. They are padded with thick insulation and coated with seven layers of Nomex to prevent the padding from catching fire during an engine explosion.

Another often overlooked safety device is the large sand pit at the end of the track past an area of the track known as "the shutdown area". This 40 foot long sand pit, also known as a "sand trap", has been placed to either slow or completely stop a car to keep it from running off track. In the wake of Scott Kalitta's death at Englishtown, NJ in 2008, the sand traps have been made longer and deeper, going from three feet deep to six feet deep and from 40 feet long to 80 feet long.

Some of the newest safety features deal with the tracks themselves. In the wake of Kalitta's death, there are now heavily padded retaining walls at the end of the sand traps. These walls are able to withstand the impact of a vehicle traveling at well over the usual speed of any division within the NHRA's professional category, the fastest (Top Fuel) being in excess of 315 miles per hour (507 km/h). These retaining walls take the place of the old rubber polymer safety nets that were once held up with concrete posts.

Prior to the late 1980s, fans could station themselves up to the guardrails so they could be closer to the action. However, in the wake of several rather dramatic accidents on track, where spectators have been injured or killed, fans are no longer allowed within 75 feet of the guardrail and there are now ten foot high fences in place to keep on-track debris from finding its way into the stands.

A major safety rule in place states that nitrous oxide in any form or in any type of delivery system is not tolerated. Mixing nitrous oxide with nitromethane can sometimes result in massive explosions, and in the Pro Stock division, it is considered an unfair advantage. The last suspension due to nitrous oxide was in 1997, when Pro Stock driver Jerry Eckman was indefinitely suspended for using nitrous oxide during a race (Although Eckman was in the pits when his car's engine exploded, he was still among the drivers that had qualified for the race.)

One of the newest safety requirements came after a near fatal crash at Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas, when 14-time Funny Car Champion John Force's car experienced a severe case of tire shake which, coupled with the release of his parachutes, ripped his car cleanly in two directly behind the engine. This rule now states that chrome moly tubing can no longer be used when building the framework for any Top Fuel or Funny Car.

Another safety modification that was placed was a direct result of Kalitta's death. The NHRA began installing a sensor that constantly checks the car's engine, and should the car backfire at anytime during the race, or if the burst panel (on a Funny Car) be blown off by an engine explosion, the fuel pump shuts off and the parachutes are deployed automatically. Although several drivers in the Top Fuel and Funny Car divisions have stated their dislike for the new sensor, they do admit that it should cut down on any fatal crashes similar to Kalitta's. This device was developed by Funny Car driver Kenny Bernstein, 14 time Funny Car Champion John Force, and six time Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher, along with NHRA racing development, and NHRA track safety. It was implemented at the start of the 2009 season. The sensor is used only within the Funny Car, and Top Fuel divisions, Pro Stock doesn't use nitromethane in their engines, and are, therefore, at less of a risk of the massive explosions that are most often seen in the nitromethane-fueled cars.

The 2010 season brought a new safety device to Top Fuel and Funny Car classes. Should the driver be rendered unable to perform the normal shutdown sequence at the conclusion of a run, a pair of redundant transmitters, placed 400 feet (120 m) and 600 feet (180 m) past the finish line, will signal an on-board receiver to automatically shut off ignition power and fuel to the engine and deploy the parachutes. The transmitters are designed and placed so as to avoid inadvertent triggering of the automated shutoffs. ^[6] These transmitters and the receivers that are placed on all cars were designed by NHRA's Track Safety Committee and constructed by Electrimotion, and are a direct result of Kalitta's death.

Safety Safari

Within the safety requirements, there is also a full crew of safety personel, called the Safety Safari, whose job is to attend to any fires, clean up the track of debris after an accident on the track, and attend to the drivers prior to the arrival of any medical personnel. The Safety Safari has been in place since the late 1960s, after a rash of on track accidents caused several promising drivers to retire early, since that time, the chance of fatal injuries although remote, still happen, however, they are not as often. There is also a full staff of EMTs on hand at any event on the schedule at any given time. These EMTs are usually from the city or county the track is located in, and are compensated by the NHRA for their time and efforts. Aeromedical services are also on hand at the track for airlifting severely injured persons to local hospitals or trauma centers if necessary.^{[citation needed]}

The original 'Drag Safari' began their tour across America in 1954. Included were four original members: Bud Coons, Bud Evans, Eric Rickman and Chic Cannon.

Champions

Pro classes

Before 1974, the season champion was determined by winner of the World Finals event champion. The Professional category contains the divisions of Pro Stock (Automobile), Pro Stock Motorcycle, Top Fuel, and Funny Car, the last two use nitromethane as fuels, while the Pro Stock categories use a special type of racing fuel, which is a derivative of gasoline.

• (*) Bruins and Krawiec won the championship without winning a single finals event
• (**) Edwards took 27 years to win NHRA titles (he won the 1981 Modified title), the longest in history.
• (***) Bernstein, and Scelzi are the only two drivers in NHRA history to win championships in both Top Fuel, and Funny Car.
• (#) Shepherd also won the IHRA World Pro Stock Championship that year (1983), becoming the first, and so far, the only driver to do so.
• (%) This season was marred by the break-in at the Wayne County Speed Shops. The drivers of Darrell Alderman, and Scott Geoffrion would be unable to continue for the remainder of the season, after vandals destroyed both the main, and back up engines, and several spare parts to both cars. Unfortunately, this would be the last year of the Wayne County Speed Shops in the NHRA, as they would never be able to recover from the financial devastation. Johnson had one of the biggest comebacks in NHRA history, moving from the bottom of the top 10, gaining over 500 points, with half the season completed, to capture the Pro Stock title.
• (&) Bernstein gave his championship trophy to Alan Johnson, brother, and crew chief of late Top Fuel driver Blaine Johnson, who had died during qualifying at the U.S. nationals that year.
• ($) Schumacher won his record sixth Top Fuel title in 2007, beating the 15 year old record held by retired Top Fuel driver Joe Amato.
• ($$) Force's 11th Championship in 2001 made him the winningest driver in NHRA history, beating the 21 year old record held by Pro Stock driver Bob Glidden(10).
• (^) Hight's win makes John Force the winningest team owner in NHRA history, with 16 Championships (14 on his own, once with Hight, and another with Tony Pedregon).
• (1k) Starting July 2, 2008, fuel classes began racing only to 1,000 feet.
• (p) In 1995, the points system used to determine a winner in each category was revamped, the winner of each event would received 100 points, the second place finisher would receive 90, the 3 rd runner up would receive 80, the other semi finalists would receive 70, the second round competitors would each receive 50, and all qualifiers would receive 10, the new system was similar to the previous one, except the omission of a zero at the end of each total.
• (s) 1997 would see the first, and so far, the only indefinite suspension handed down by the NHRA Board of Directors for use of nitrous oxide in the Pro Stock category, when driver Jerry Eckman's car exploded in the pits of an event early in the season, he had qualified for the event earlier in the day, and was therefore, held accountable for knowledge of a nitrous oxide system in the car, Eckman has attempted several times for an appeal, but has never shown up for the appeal hearings, forcing the NHRA to revoke his competition license, and ban him from ever competing in an NHRA sanctioned event.
• (@) Muldowney was the first female driver to win a championship in any category, when she won the 1977 NHRA Top Fuel Championship.
• (e) In 1972, the engines on a Top Fuel car were moved from in front of the driver, to behind the driver, primarily for safety reasons.

Sportman classes

Sportsman classes use fuels like gasoline or alcohol.

See also

• American Hot Rod Association
• International Hot Rod Association
• National Electric Drag Racing Association
• United States Hot Rod Association

References

External links

• Official website
• Official NHRA Drag Racing Podcasts
• Drag Race Central The Latest NHRA News and Analysis